ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, said on Thursday the visit to Pakistan by the secretary general of the Muslim World League (MWL), Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Kareem Al-Issa, would strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries.
Al-Issa is in Pakistan until Friday. He is currently in Lahore where he met with political leaders on Wednesday and on Thursday visited the University of Management and Technology and Jamia Ashrafia.
Earlier in Islamabad he also met President Dr. Arif Alvi, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, and Senate chairman, Sadiq Sanjrani, as well as other officials.
“Muslim Ummah will not tolerate any conspiracy aimed at playing havoc with peace, stability and security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Ashrafi who is accompanying the MWL delegation in Lahore said in a statement.
"No force can weaken the relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia ... Islamabad has an independent and sovereign policy in the matter of relations with the kingdom."
"Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is not only diplomatic or fraternal, it is a relationship of faith and belief, and we do not think that America or any other country can pressurize Pakistan in terms of relations with Saudi Arabia,” he said, adding that bilateral relations would become stronger and more stable with the visit of Al-Issa.
Ashrafi said the policy that Saudi Arabia had adopted on oil was supported and endorsed by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
“In this regard, there can be ways out only through dialogue, and the leadership of Saudi Arabia understands its issues very well,” he added.
Ashrafi also thanked Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki and the leadership of Muslim World League for generous assistance to the flood victims of Pakistan in recent days.